If there is one factor that has epitomised Ipswich Town's rise up the Premiership to be presently battling for a place in next season's Champions' League, it is the spirit in the squad.

If there is one factor that has epitomised Ipswich Town's rise up the Premiership to be presently battling for a place in next season's Champions' League, it is the spirit in the squad.

There is nothing clever about the way George Burley's side play football - no world stars, no prima donnas.

The canny Scot has made no earth-shattering discovery about how to play the beautiful game. What he does have are players who can simply pass the ball to colleagues wearing the same colour shirt.

On yesterday's evidence, although the difference between the two sides wasn't much, Ipswich appeared to want to win just that little bit more. Bobby Robson summed up the Ipswich philosophy after the game.

He said: They are confident and have a belief in each other. They are not afraid to play away from home."

These factors over the last few months have appeared to be in short supply amongst Bobby Robson's men.

The Magpies' team spirit that was so clearly evident at the start of the year when they did the double over Leeds United appears to have vanished. The run of 26 games without a clean sheet appears to weigh heavily on the shoulders of the young defence crying out for leadership.

Yesterday the Ipswich side again kept it simple finding their colleagues with the ball, where Newcastle more often than not didn't.

Bobby Robson started the game with a tear in his eye after a rousing reception and ended it seething that his side had given away what he considered a stupid goal.

His Ipswich side of the late 1970s and 80s had a collective team spirit that allowed them to go a stage further than possibly their combined talents warranted.

His United side, circa 2001, appeared to be missing that. The squad is made up of extraordinary talent but collectively they are regularly struggling to make an impression.

Unfashionable Ipswich may be, but if Newcastle could tap into that secret x-factor George Burley has installed there, then a European spot for the Magpies would have been a formality this season.

Gateshead-born Alun Armstrong is an example of a player thriving on that spirit.

The former United player was going nowhere at Boro but since his switch the front man has slotted into the Ipswich team easily with his ability to pass the ball.

Although not a target for United, it would be unlikely he could have so easily slotted back into the Newcastle set-up.

With Ipswich likely to qualify for Europe, Bobby Robson may be forced into calling his former protege George Burley for a few tips.